National Center for
Prosecution of Animal Abuse

Photo by FourFootPhotography.com
(by Mary Eklund)

Importance of
Prosecuting Cockfighting(warning, graphic video)
Cockfighting is an inhumane bloodsport that is cruel to animals and prevents communities from being safe. Adults and children who are spectators are desensitized to violence when they witness animals fighting and tearing each other apart. Cockfighting is illegal in all states, but is only a felony in 39 states. Even though only a misdemeanor in California, San Bernadino County District Attorney Michael Ramos and his staff are aggressively weeding this crime out of their community. The National District Attorneys Association and our National Center for Prosecution of Animal Abuse are proud to support their efforts in raising awareness on the seriousness of cockfighting."

— Scott BurnsFormer NDAA
Executive Director

The National Center for Prosecution of Animal Abuse (NCPAA) is a program of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), created in partnership with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) to educate and train prosecutors and allied professionals on the effective handling of animal cruelty and neglect cases, including cases involving the co-occurrence of animal abuse and violence to people. NDAA desires to bring greater awareness to the often misunderstood nature of animal maltreatment and how it can interconnect with family violence and contribute to lethality issues for victims of interpersonal violence. With growing awareness by the public to recognize and report animal abuse, combined with increased attention by the media, prosecuting attorneys need the resources to properly address incidents of animal abuse in their community and properly hold offenders accountable.

The mission of NCPAA is to always act in the best interests of animals; to create an environment in the criminal justice community where animal protection laws are fully enforced; to create understanding that when animals are safe from harm, communities are safer; to provide the resources, tools and support to prosecutors and allied professionals in the pursuit of those who harm animals; to collaborate with others so that the most updated and innovative information is available and accessible; to deliver training and technical assistance in a professional and ethical manner; and to remember that our victims are voiceless and deserve an impassioned and knowledgeable prosecutor pursuing justice in their name.

NCPAA was created through a grant from the Animal Welfare Trust, with continuing support from the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and ASPCA. We are honored that these funders share our vision and belief that all members in a community should be free from harm, including animals.